Melbourne Attractions

Venue: Royal Melbourne Zoological Gardens    When: Daily

One of the world's greatest zoos and the oldest in Australia, Melbourne Zoo houses more than 350 animal species from Australia and around the world.

Located just 4km from the centre of the city, this historic zoo displays a wide variety of the world's fauna and flora in a magnificent botanical garden setting. Opened in 1862, it still preserves historic features such as the design of the Main Walk and an early 20th century menagerie exhibit, so that visitors can see the great improvements which have been achieved over the years.

From the Southern Hairy-Nosed Wombat to the Red-Tailed Black Cockatoo (the mascot for the 2006 Commonwealth Games in Melbourne) and the Black and White Colobus, you'll find all kinds of colourful creatures here.

The zoo also gives visitors the chance to see several of the animals having lunch, with special feeding times for orangutans, meerkats and penguins among others, as well the chance to meet the keepers of animals including pelicans, wombats and seals.